This invention relates generally to the handling of bales of hay and is particularly directed to apparatus for stacking bales of hay into a large, matrix-like bundle to form a solid, rigid, self-supporting package which is easily handled and stored without cutting or otherwise damaging the hay bales.
Cut hay is collected in the form of bales which are typically 14 inches by 18 inches by three and one half feet and are bound by twine or wire. The hay baler compresses the bale prior to applying the twine. The twine is of limited strength, limiting the extent to which the hay can be compressed and the density of the hay bale. This generally results in a rather loose bale.
Attempts have been made to stack hay bales to form a large bundle of hay without success. A bundle of hay weighing many hundreds of pounds is more easily stored and affords economic advantages in handling, shipping and in feeding livestock over individual bales. However, these large bundles cannot be moved by hand and thus require mechanical means for moving and storing the bundles. If the individual bales are rather loosely bound such as by twine or are damaged by cutting or shredding, the resultant large bundle of bales is even more loosely constrained rendering handling of the bundle difficult even by a machine and frequently resulting in loss and waste of hay.
The present invention addresses the aforementioned problems encountered in the prior art by providing a hay bale stacking apparatus which under the control of a computer receives individual hay bales, stacks the bales in a large bundle, tightly bounds the bundle, and discharges the banded bundle from the aft of the apparatus as it traverses a field. The bundles are configured to facilitate handling such as by pallet forks, the individual bales are positioned and oriented in the bundle in a manner which enhances hay storage, and the bundle itself is a solid, rigid and self-supporting package with minimum damage to the hay.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to stack a plurality of small hay bales into a large bundle which is securely banded in a manner which avoids severing the binding of the individual bales as well as cutting or shredding the hay during banding or during subsequent handling of the bundle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide for the automatic stacking of individual bales of hay into large banded bundles in a computer controlled apparatus capable of operating in xe2x80x9con the goxe2x80x9d as it traverses a field.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for the stacking of hay bales into a large matrix-like bundle of hay bales which is solid, rigid and self-supporting.
A further object of the present invention is to stack bales of hay in a large securely banded bundle which can be lifted and moved by means of pallet forks without damaging or severing the bundle""s banding or the binding of the individual bales.
A still further object of the present invention is to bundle and store a plurality of hay bales in a manner which avoids contact of the bundle banding or the individual bale""s binding with the ground and eliminates the damage and deterioration of the banding/binding associated therewith.
Another object of the present invention is to incorporate banding zones extending inwardly into the bales in a large bundle of hay to permit a restraining band to be wrapped around the bundle without application of great tension to the band to avoid damage to the hay by the restraining band during banding or during subsequent handling of the bundle.